John Wilde
by ThreadAnon
Summary: Shortly after joining the force, Nick's father re-enters his life. Written in response to an anon's request.


Mr. Wilde broke the silence first. "So I heard there's that baseball game tomorrow between you boys and the fire department. Thinking of taking your old man along?" He leaned back onto the bench they shared, mirroring Nick's posture.

Nick waved his free paw exasperatedly, "Nah, we don't go to that anymore; Judy doesn't much like them after that madhouse of a game two years ago."

"Wait, who?"

"Carrots and I? I've told you about her" Nick found himself slightly unsettled that his father didn't recognize Judy by name. Then again, he hadn't talked about her much, and she'd only been introduced as his partner. That she was still a stranger was completely understandable.

"Eh, screw what some rabbit wants to do, let's go watch the game, have some beers, a little me and you time!" Mr. Wilde rocked forward again, an elbow propped on his knee while he playfully punched at Nick with his free paw. He didn't notice Nick's slight flinch at the movement.

"Dad, you told me you were done drinking for good. And Judy isn't just so—"

"Alright, no beer then! Jeez, gotta be a cop ALL the time?" Mr. Wilde let out a rough laugh before taking a drink of his coffee, as Nick slouched back against the bench once more.

The way his father tried to play off the beer suggestion as a joke prickled Nick's previous unease. When he'd first walked back into Nick's life the previous week, Mr. Wilde had sworn up and down that he'd finally cleaned up his act and was changing his ways. Nick had wanted to believe him, and was more than eager to give him a chance to prove he was a changed fox.

"Judy's my girlfriend, too." Nick said after a few seconds deliberation. Interspecies relationships weren't a rare thing in Zootopia by any means, but pred/prey relations were still an uncommon occurrence, and Nick was unsure how his father would react. The department had been supportive, so hopefully he would—

"I thought you were a cop, not a comedian!" Mr. Wilde barked. Nick remained silent, his expression hardening slightly as he took a sip of his coffee. "Come on, son, you're joking with me right? A man needs a fine vixen! A REAL woman!" Mr. Wilde's smile slipped from his face as he spoke, the seriousness of Nick's silence starting to sink in. His raised his voice as he spoke, though he didn't shout. His eyes narrowed, and by the end of his rand he was spitting out his words. "You're really dating a prey girl? That fluff-headed flatfoot!?" Mr. Wilde stared at his son a moment more before shoving himself up from the bench, restlessly shuffling his feet as he stood facing away from Nick.

"Look, I understand you don't approve of us, but Judy and I are together, and that isn't going to change." Nick replied, standing as he spoke. He forced himself to remain calm; things were going much worse than he had expected.

With a growl, Mr. Wilde whirled on him: "She isn't a fox! She isn't even a predator! I didn't raise—"

"You didn't raise me at all!" Nick wasn't able to keep from shouting his reply. His lowered his voice as he continued, "Isn't that why you came back? Please, dad, I want you to be a part of my life again, but you need to accept the choices I've made for myself." His face softened slightly; his irritation at his father's outburst was washed away by a wave of morose empathy. "Tell you what, let's go to that ball game tomorrow. You and me, father and son."

The accusation, plea, and change of subject all worked to placate Mr. Wilde; he nodded gently. "Yeah, yeah alright." he mumbled. "L-listen, son, I've gotta run, I'll call ya tomorrow and we'll figure out the details, sound good?" he backed away from Nick as he spoke, an uncomfortable smile on his face. Nick could tell he wanted the conversation over, and forced a smile of his own.

"Great plan. Goodbye dad." Nick gave a small wave as Mr. Wilde turned and briskly made his way down the hill. Nick let out a sigh, letting his shoulders slump as her turned to head the other way, towards the train that would take him back to the apartment he shared with Judy. "Goodbye, dad." he mumbled to himself.


End file.
